GREAT new crab site!!!

This site has been completely redone and I LOVE IT! They have really awesome prices and a huge selection of crabs & supplies! They even have ruggies, indos & viola crabs!!! Check it out!!!
Hermit Crab Vendor, Your Source for Hermit Crabs and Supplies

 

i in my opinion Wouldnt buy from them. they sell painted shells.

 

Hermit Paws thank you for bringing that to my attention! I emailed Hermit Crab Vendor about it and they ONLY sell painted shells that have been double painted and clear coat sealed and are NOT painted on the inside. They assured me that their shells are the healthiest painted shells for crabs that you can buy and they wont chip or peel and the crabs can't get stuck inside because there isn't any paint inside. They also have a good variety of natural shells as well!!!

 

I had been researching more about painted shells and how some companies force crabs into the shells THEY want them to be in. That is TERRIBLE and I asked hermit crab vendor about it!!! In Hermit Crab Vendor's email to me they said that under NO circumstances do they force crabs into shells of ANY kind. They are given hundreds of shells to choose from and they keep the one they choose! They sell crabs in all different kinds of shells INCLUDING their native shells. That is why, they said, that their crabs are so much healthier than other hermit crabs out there! I found this petition online to end the cruelty of forcing crabs into unhealthy painted shells and signed it right away! Say NO to Painted Seashells for Land Hermit Crabs Petition

Hermit Crab Vendor said they welcome anyones questions, comments or suggestions! Check them out and send them a line if you would like to!

Hermit Crab Vendor, Your Source for Hermit Crabs and Supplies

 

Another reason that they have painted shells is because they sell to the supplier that sells to Petco and, Ryan the owner of HCV, has said Petco will only order painted shells right now because they sell. They do not put the crabs in the shell but they do have to sell them and unfortunately as most of us know what sells for Hermit Crabs is not normally what is best for the crab.

 

That still doesn't solve the issue about the paint, forced or not.

 

JUst because theyu have that coat DOSEN't mean they ARNT going to chip!

SAY NO TO ALL PAINTED SHELLS!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, but there's that darn almost-$50 shipping again for live crabs. It sux for me 'cause I really want a couple of violas, but I cannot justify paying that much, especially for crabs I didn't even get to look at before I buy. Around here all I can find are PPs and the occasional teeny tiny Ecuadoran. :-(

I also find it ironic that although under the Hermit Crab Care section (lifted from WikiHow) they say that Calci-Sand and aquarium gravel are not appropriate substrates for hermies, most of what they offer for substrate is...gravel and calci-sand. The care section also advises against plastic critter keepers, but alas, these are also sold by Hermit Crab Vendor. Furthermore, the care section advises against painted shells.

Seems to me they haven't even really bothered to read their own care sheets, or worse they have but don't care. If I were a complete n00b to hermit crabbing and I came across this site, I'd be confoozled as heck.

Nikki

 

No I am not saying it does I am just saying you can't blame HCV for trying to sell what is being demanded. When you talk to them they are knowledgeable and know the problems with painted shells but their hands are sort of tied as well. Granted they could stop selling altogether but the point of a business is to make money and as a lot of businesses have found out lately if you don't you won't have a business. One other point is that they just recently started selling to the public on an individual basis, they were only a bulk dealer. So the bulk of their products are for mall kiosks and places like that, so it is not they have not read or care about their own info but when that is all that is being ordered by those places they have to stock them. Bulk dealers visit the site as well and want to see the products available not the correct info so it does seem contradictory but the sad part is that is how it is in dealing with Hermit Ctabs and Pet Stores.

As for the shipping they don't set those prices but the shipping company does and the only way to try to ensure live crabs when shipping is by doind it overnight and that is the expensive part. The good thing is though that you can order quite a few crabs before the weight goes up enough to start raising the price again.

 

Who says were Blaming anyone! the ones to blame Are the people who are Painting them!

 

Maybe email the owner of HCV and provide the correct care information? This is Jasons site, so we'd need his permission to let HCV use the info provided here with a linkback to HCRU. Might be worth a shot.

Also, ask the owner to join HCRU so that he may get the valuable information HCRU has to offer.

 

HP I was not saying anyone was blaming HCV, I could have worded that differently I apologize for that. I agree it is the people painting the shells in the first place.

 

I wanted to point out something as well. When you( just in general) talk to a store owner there must be politeness and respect. Do not yell, acuse or be hostile. That should go for in person as well as online. It doesn't help the situation.

 

Any company is just trying to stay in business, which means they need to get money. If pet stores are only buying painted shells, there is a demand for those crabs and, thus, they will supply them. It's basic economics. If you do buy from that company (as I most likely will at some point, when my setup is big enough for other species...I'm just not comfortable putting any exotics into my 30g high tank) don't buy any ones in painted shells. If you do, regardless of how they feel about these shells, they will have more of a reason to restock those types of shells. It's how I usually am at a pet store - I buy natural shelled crabs if at all possible because no matter how much they assure you that the paint won't come off, a few digs into the sand will get it to chip, no matter what coating they put on it. I don't want the stores to think "people buy cartoon character shelled crabs, let's get some more!" - I want them to think "those natural shelled crabs sell more, so let's get them." I won't necessarily turn down a crab in a painted shell, but I tend towards the natural ones.

 

I dunno - I think that they are simply responding to a demand from the market. It is easy to justify all sorts of things when you get constant positive re-reinforcement for it - and you need the cash.

The whole painted shell thing is A) somewhat overblown but nonetheless is a part of the industry that should be put in the past and B) the "fault" of everyone involved, the suppliers, the painters and the buyers. It will take a multi-pronged approach to put it to rest.

In the end though, "Crabbers" have access to incredibly inexpensive animals because of the millions of crabs sold in kiosks and such. The hard part to swallow is that the price of these little buggers would skyrocket if they stopped painting shells and the average beach shop stopped moving so many. I am personally stunned every time I buy one, or a few, especially the larger animals - these are prolly the least expensive imported pet on the planet. Sad really.

Keith

 

I agree 100%, some folks get really heated when this topic comes up and that will get no where. Also, make sure your facts are backed up. Don't make a statement that you cannot support - and there are a number of these that float around regarding painted shells. They will do nothing but kill your credibility and make you easier to ignore.

Keith

 

Has anyone purchased anything from this shop (HCV)? Are they located in Texas?